Chapter 5: The truth hurts.

A sliver of morning light shimmered through the dusty curtains and into the dark abyss of the bedroom where August slept. Soft, almost undetectable, snoring could be heard in rhythm with the rise and fall of her little chest as she continued dozing. An occasional shuffle and then a mumbled conversation of broken sentences would ensure until the little girl would sigh, before sliding back into her dreams.

Another sigh broke the pattern as someone shuffled uncomfortably next to the bed. Envy groaned as he was snapped out of his own dozing. He grunted as he stood up from his perch on the windowsill and stretched his stiff legs. Violet irises slid over to the still sleeping figure on his bed. Envy frowned angrily upon seeing the stupid human still asleep.

"Damn it all, is the stupid little human ever going to wake up?"

Envy crossed his arms as he sniffed the air once, satisfied that he could no longer pick up on that putrid stench of herbs. He glanced over at August again.

Lust had said the effects of the drug would wear off eventually…she just didn't tell him just how long it could take for one measly human to wake up! He growled in annoyance.

Why had the Master drugged this stupid bug anyways? What was the point? Wasn't she going to keep it? Envy stopped himself there, already becoming aggravated again. He had his suspicions about his master, but he knew, as well as any of the other homunculi, that she would never answer for her motives. After all, he had already stormed into her quarters and asked.


Subtlety had never been one of Envy's strong suits. So as predicted, in response to an extremely aggravated Envy, Dante had simply sighed warily already, becoming fed up with this time old pattern. Once he mentioned her supposed involvement in the child's sudden turn of ill health, she had merely raised a thin eyebrow. "Why, what ever do you mean Envy? That I intentionally would try to harm the child?" Dante frowned as she shook her head in disappointment.

"How utterly ridiculous of you Envy" Said sin released a growl from deep within his throat.

"Then why did you slip in that drug into the bath you made for that girl, master?" He watched his master intently, trying to figure out her cause. Was she trying to sabotage him? Was she toying with him? Or was this just all a test, to prove his worth…again.

'It's not like I don't do all of her dirty work anyway' a black scowl stole across the sin's face.

"Hmm, so you've figured out that much then? Believe me Envy I had no intention of killing the child. If I had truly wanted her dead I wouldn't have tried to end her in such a discrete manner." Dante gently folded her hands together as she smirked. Envy's scowl deepened and he left without another word.


Envy gritted his teeth. He knew she was messing with him. He knew it!

Envy glanced at August a final time. He snorted as he quickly strolled out of the room. The stupid human would wake up eventually. He probably would catch her roaming the halls sooner or later…or he could always get Gluttony to go and get her. A feral grin spread across his features. Yep he would definitely do that sometime.

'But still…'

Envy's smirk faulted as he continued down the halls and out of the mansion.

Despite whatever the real reasons that old hag had held, her plans had still ended in his sabotage and what was almost his premature demise.

Envy halted just outside of the manor and crossed his arms over his chest as he thought. As much as he was loathed to admit it he knew that he would have to start watching out for another one of Dante's little tests…or he would get it.

'Even if that means keeping a constant visual on the brat.'

Envy felt a shiver crawl up his spine as his face twisted in an almost comical expression of repulsion mixed with horror. He just had a feeling he had sold his soul to the devil.

The envious sin had to pause as he collected himself. He wasn't going to like this, but then again he didn't have to actually interact with the brat, he just needed to make sure she stayed alive and healthy. He groaned.

"How hard could taking care of one stupid little human brat be?"

Envy squared his shoulders and snorted. Of course he could. He was a homunculus for fucks sake, he could handle anything this puny little worm could throw at him. Dante wouldn't be able to catch him off guard again. Envy gritted his teeth.

He would make sure of it!

And with that Envy stalked away into the woods, towards his mission in the South City of Fotest . Apparently things over there weren't lively enough. The border war that Artemis had been waging against Aerugo had gone stale. That was no good for the master's plans. Envy grinned savagely as he disappeared into the forest.

Looks like he was going to have to give them a little wake up call.


One month later:

"So that's it then?" A simple nod was all that confirmed the rhetorical question. Dante raised a thin, greying, eyebrow.

"You can't remember anything before the your sisters murder?"

A flinch, and than another nod of the head was all that a sullen August could muster at Dante's cold observation. The master of the homunculi sighed impatiently.

"Let's try this again child, from the beginning. Who taught you alchemy?"

August blinked once in confusion before staring off into space for a thoughtful moment. Violet, maroon, blank, and brown eyes were all trained on the little child as she closed her own sea-green eyes in concentration. All of the homunculi awaited her answer in anxious anticipation. They all leaned in slightly.

August opened her eyes, silently shook her head, and shrugged her shoulders hopelessly.

A collective groan could be heard from those seated around the elaborate living room, save one conceited body snatcher.

"This is getting us nowhere. The stupid brat can't remember anything at all. How pathetic!" Envy sneered as he openly glared at August for what probably was the fifteenth time that morning. The young girl did nothing but flinch slightly again and avert her eyes to the white linen tablecloth before her. Dante sighed again and pinched the bridge of her nose.

Envy was correct. August hadn't been able to recall anything since waking up, nearly a week after the 'bath' incident and afterwards she had become extremely quiet and withdrawn. The child hardly moved, ate, slept or hardly interacted with anyone or anything. Dante said nothing for a moment as she calmly sipped at the cooled lemon tea before her. Something had to be done.

Dante smiled kindly at the little sullen girl before her as she gently placed her teacup back down among the array of other fine china spread out across the small tea table between them. "Patience Envy. All good things come in time. Now…"

August glanced up as she felt the woman's, whom had already introduced herself as Dante, powerful gaze on fall her. A month had passed and August still felt the uncontrollable urge to shiver every time she caught the older woman's attention. Just being in close proximity with her gave the little girl an alarmingly sense of dread that she could not shake off. August shrank into herself as she hesitantly met the old woman's deceitfully warm brown eyes.

"No matter then. It is of no real importance whom your original teacher was..." At this August cooked a brow in confusion. How could she simply drop the same subject she had been drilling August about for the past half-an-hour? Dante caught the incurious stare and smirked slightly.

"…Because I will now be your teacher." August felt a bone-chilling feeling clutch at her heart. "You will be my student and servant when needed. You will surpass many and become a powerful alchemist once you have been properly educated under my guidance."

August felt her mouth become as dry as sandpaper and her stomach began to squeeze itself into an impossibly tight ball. August felt something inside her began to stir at the old woman's words.

As Dante continued to list the benefits of her teachings, August became lost in the whirlwind of thoughts that had plagued here ever since she awoke nearly a month ago.

'Why am I afraid', she wondered to herself as stared silently into the pristine porcelain teacup in her small hands. The teacup remained motionless as the amber liquid inside shifted slightly from side to side. For a moment August wondered numbly wondered why it did that.

'Vibrations disrupting the molecules…' She begrudgingly remembered from a chemistry book she had recently found lying around. Curiosity had gotten he better of her and she had read the entire volume earlier that week.

'I know I'm good at science, so why would I be afraid to learn alchemy? Isn't that what sister was trying to master anyways?' August closed her eyes as she struggled to remember, past the sickly dense fog that constantly swarmed her mind's eye. The little girl clenched her teeth unwittingly as her head pounded.

'Y-yes… and she was trying to teach me too I-I think…but I don't she meant it would turn out to end like this.' August opened her eyes to stare off again as she thought. She made sure to keep her eyes trained on Dante, though her ears had become deaf to her words quite a while ago.

'Shouldn't I be leaping at this chance? I mean if sister wanted me to learn alchemy, shouldn't I make her proud?' The liquid rippled inside the teacup as August felt her hands begin to shake unconsciously.

'But still, why am I afraid?' All to soon images flooded her behind her eyes as the answers to her question.

Various diagraphs of pentagrams, runes, and rituals marked down in ink on old pieces of parchment paper.

Blue lighting flashes and roaring thunder.

Long black lances stained in red, slicing their way through screaming black figures around a fire.

Glowing red eyes staring straight through her soul from the darkness that moved to swallow everything before it.

Maniacal laughter echoed loudly as the scene of June falling to the ground, a large bloody hole in the center of her forehead, played over and over again.

August covered her eyes and screamed for as loud as she was worth.

Suddenly August felt strong, warm, hands clap over her mouth and remove her own hands from her watery eyes.


Everything was gone.

The room, the tea, Dante, the three others, EVERYTHING!

August hardly dared to breathe. Where was she? The little girl could see nothing but white.

An endless white void.

No…wait.

A figure…a familiar figure suddenly began to materialize about just a little ways in front of her. Their back was turned to her and their long ebony hair fanned out around them, pooling down their back and around their pale legs and onto the imaginary floor.

August felt herself move one step at a time, coming closer to the surreal figure seated on the floor. August felt her bare feet press into the cold missing ground as she found herself before the seated figure. A strong urge to reach out and touch the silent figure gripped the little girl. August stopped herself, her hand outstretched and just inches from the glossy scalp.

"Please turn around" August heard herself pleading. This surprise her, she hadn't been thinking that. She swallowed.

"P-please where-I'm scared!" August mentally gaped. She hadn't meant to say that at all!

"I-I-I…" August stuttered, unable to understand why her mouth and body betrayed her. Hot tears suddenly began to pour down her cheeks without her consent as August abruptly began crying.

Why was she crying, and in front of this wired stranger? Who was clearly ignoring her no less, in the middle of nowhere! August mentally ranted through her sobs. With a growing horror, she felt herself drop to her knees and continue bawling. She couldn't stop! August felt powerless and unable to control herself as she felt all of her fears and emotions that she kept bottled inside her for over the past month came spilling out like a tidal wave.

August cried, and cried, and cried…for what felt like hours on end. After what seemed like an eternity the sobbing child felt a pair of cold hands gently grasp her shoulders.

Slowly but surely August began to calm down. She wiped her eyes and hiccupped once more before looking up. August had to squint at the bright white light that outlined the figure before her. She let out a strangled gasp as her eyes threatened to overflow with more unshed tears.

"J-Jun-ue?"

The angelic being smiled down at the child's tear-stained face in adoration, and slowly wiped at the stray tears that rolled down child's flushed cheeks. Without thinking August slammed into her older sister and hugged her as hard as she could. She started to tear up again. June sighed heavily as she stroked her baby sister's hair.

"Honestly my little August Rush, you can be such a cry baby." August sniffed and wiped her nose childishly. "S-shut u-up! A-and y-your still a j-jerk June B-bug!" Said older sibling snickered as she patted the small brunette.

"Always will be" June muttered wistfully as she slowly untangled herself from her sister's immense death grip.

"Alright, alright, August now listen- stop crying would you- I something important to tell you!" June grunted as she struggled to break free from an extremely clinging younger sister.

"What?" August mumbled drowsily, as she was still pressed into her sister's chest. June groaned in defeat as she give up on breaking free her sister's incredibly strong grip.

"Listen to me August…" Wide forest green orbs stared into glazed mint green ones as August meet her older sister's suddenly intense gaze. "You need to get away." August frowned.

"What? From where?" August slurred oddly as she began to feel strangely lethargic; June growled as she shook her sibling's shoulders.

"Not from where, from who. The old lady in the house you are at Dante!" August blinked quickly, as she remembered whom June was warning her about. "How do you know about that big s-sister?" June shook her head. "I just know okay…" August frowned, unhappy that her sister was still keeping secrets from her. August shrugged as she dropped the subject, and instead opted for another more pressing matter.

"Sister what is wrong with that old lady, just being around her scares me." August paused to shiver.

"Something is really creepy about her but I can't figure it out and it's just scaring me more every time I have to see her." June squeezed August's shoulders harder and took a deep breath.

"August I don't have time to explain everything to you right now, but know this…you should be afraid of Dante. Very afraid!" June all but hissed. August tried not to whimper at the deathly grim expression on June's pale face.

"That woman…is dangerous. Don't get on her bad side and run before she ties you to anything." The grip on her shoulder was so tight that August was a bit miffed when she could feel a single once of discomfort or pain. Suddenly August remembered something important she had nearly forgotten.

"June, what about the other people?"

"Other people?" June blinked. "What other people?" June asked, her expression guarded. August frowned. "There's three other people, a short bald guy, a lady, and I think another guy." June could only stare at August in shock. It had just dawned on her who those people were.

"They're all really scary too, and one the one who I think is a guy has to keep watching me all the time cause I heard Dante say so. He is really, really, mean and...Big sis what's wrong?" August asked as she watched her sister's face turn paler and paler with every word. August didn't know if it was possibly to die again from shock but she thought her big sister just might.

"A-a-august…" June tired, and failed, to speak. She rubbed her temples as if she were experiencing a migraine and groaned. "Just…just answer me one thing about this 'mean person'." August leaned in closer, curious about what her big sister would ask.

"Could you…could you tell if this person is a boy or a girl when you first saw them?" August blinked once, then again, then a third time.

"Um...it took awhile"

June could only sigh in defeat as her shoulders slumped forward. "Oh August, what have you done…"

"Eh?" August blinked in bewilderment. "What? What I do?" She wondered as she glanced at her sister's pale face. June simply sighed again and quickly brought August into a tight embrace. August gasped in surprise and blinked away her tears at the familiar gesture.

She gripped her sister's form tightly. She was terrified of letting her big sister go again, terrified of losing her in the blink of an eye again, or without even say goodbye once sobbed abruptly and sniffed, wiping away the tears and snot that leaked down her face.

"Again with being a crybaby" June mumbled distractedly as she smiled into soft, dark auburn, hair.

"August, listen other than Dante, there was something else I needed to tell you before I go..." August sniffed as she buried her wet face deeper into the crook of her sister's neck, refusing to face the inevitable departure that she felt arising. Strong, but now slightly transparent, hands slowly gripped her shoulders and gently pulled the child away.

"Hey, I need you look at me for a second." August complied as June tenderly brushed away a few stiff, wet, strands that had become mated to her baby sister's tear stained face.

"Look August, I never intended to leave you behind like I did. It was cruel and I'm sorry" June frowned and looked away, seemingly on the verge of tears herself. "I should have seen them coming." August frowned sadly as listened intently but smiled slightly at her elder sister's familiar, not so discreet, attempts at modesty that were more for August's sake then anything else.

"Look this is going to be hard August but you are strong. You can do this, you'll be alright." June nodded assuredly as she patted her sister's wild mane. "Just promise me this. That you will survive…" August blinked as she stared warily at her suddenly grim older sibling.

"I need you to find a life for yourself out there without me, okay kiddo? You need to let go of me already. If you just wait longer it will be even more painful and you might not be able to do it. You won't be able to cope. You'll just be lost." June paused as she quickly brushed her shimmering eyes, flicking away the glittering sparks that August recognized as tears

"Just like how I was when Mom died…" . June smiled contemplatively. August shivered as she felt her heart squeeze instinctually. They stayed silent for another moment as they both tried and failed to compose themselves.

Suddenly August felt another chill brush past her as she felt herself tipping forward to meet the nonexistent floor with a yelp of surprise. August could only gap as she wielded around to stare disbelievingly at her big sister.

She had fallen through her.

June was fading. The surreal projection of her dear sister was losing its form and began to become transparent, ghostly even. August screamed in a mixture of shock, grief, anguish, and everything in between.

"No! Wait, please stop! Don't leave me again June!" The little girl cried out in distress as she tried in vain to catch the disappearing apparition in her hands.

"You will never be able to pick yourself back up if you can't even face the truth August." August froze, her hands outstretched. It felt as if the entire world had come crashing down upon her small, fragile, chest and crushed her lungs into pudding. She hung her head.

"The truth…"Suddenly August chuckled wearily and hugged her arms around her. "Yea, the truth, the truth is that your dead and now I'm all alone." A slap echoed in the stillness of the white void.

"You will NEVER be alone! I will always be there!" June shot back heatedly and August gaped like a fish as she touched the red handprint on her cheek. Wasn't she supposed to be transparent? And when did she work up the nerve to slap her?

"WHAT was that about!" August snapped angrily as she gingerly rubbed her face. "Why do you insist on still being a jerk even when you're already dead and gone June!" Said apparition said nothing as she smirked mischievously.

Even though the pain of grief still lingered behind the bittersweet moment, both June and August couldn't shake the sudden feeling of overwhelming content that washed over their hearts. June smiled softly as she ruffled August's thick, wild, locks of wavy chestnut hair away from those unfathomably deep, pale green, eyes that shone with raw emotions.

That will do my little August Rush, that will do…" And then the world went white.


August felt something in her chest nearly explode as she bolted upright. Her mouth was opened wide as she panted heavily and her wide tear-filled eyes glazed over with raw, primal, emotion. August could feel every pore of her body shaking and sweating as she slowly came to her senses. She was back in the bedroom.

August loathed to admit it was hers, rather she was unceremoniously assigned it after she had been dumped in it after a few dozen times by Dante and her servants after every afternoon chat with the vile woman. August slowly shook her head and cradled her hands in her lap as she sat Indian style. She let out a shuddering breathe and suddenly quieted.

Something was off…

August glanced up and looked around, the back of her neck prickling. Suddenly she could hear a distinct chuckle coming from the window to her right. She blinked and soundlessly stood as she examined the dark silhouette that she had somehow completely missed sitting on the moonlit windowsill. The figure moved.

"Aw, what's wrong brat no more nightmare? Too bad they where getting very good." Envy smirked as he stood, cracking his back in the process.

"W-why are you here?" August whispered, feeling unnerved that she had caught-what was his name again?-watching her sleep.

"Hmp. Shut up and leave me alone brat. Go back to bed or something," Envy growled, turning to face the door.

"B-But-"

"Didn't I just say shut up?" Envy snapped, wheeling around to glare at the small figure, now a few feet away, staring at him. August stared at him for a moment, unsure of what to do next.

"But, um, I just want to say sorry alright." August fished around lamely for an excuse. Envy glared at her once more before snorting disgust and turning to go.

But August bristled at being ignored again, as she faintly remembered June's promise in the back of her mind. She supposed her anger and commitment towards her sister got the better of her at that moment for she did something very, very stupid.

"Hey!" August suddenly barked "If you're going to come in here in here to hurt my feelings and ignore my attempts at being nice then I at least want to know why you where watching me sleep in the middle of the night!" August frowned angrily as she put up her best glaring façade. She wouldn't something like this anymore!

The eight year olds resolve quickly crumpled to ash when Envy slowly turned around. His gaze was murderous.

"Do you have a death wish brat?" August shook her head meekly. "Good, now crawl back into the bed and shut the fuck up!" He barked as he gritted his teeth in anger. How dare this scrawny little shit stand up to him like that! He could crush her in less then a second and make her suffer a fate worse then death. He was a homunculus, how threating could he truly be if this stupid human child found the guts to stick up to him so brazenly. Though the action did stun and surprise him slightly. Envy snarled. He didn't like surprises.

He glared murderously at her little, shaking, form that still clung to the bedpost as he walked up to her. August was rotted to the spot in terror. Envy suddenly smirked, a fun idea to mess with the kid's mind suddenly popping into his head.

"Well. Then. The old bat wanted me to make sure you weren't dying with all the screaming you've been doing lately, you little brat" He leaned in closer, his sadistic grin suddenly becoming wider. August felt dread pool in her stomach.

"But, I really didn't care about that. What me and everyone else in this shit-hole are really curious about, where the things you kept shrieking over and over again in your sleep." August felt her stomach constrict in knots. Envy suddenly laughed crazily as his voice changed.

"Please stop, dad, please stop hurting me…please stop hitting big sister too, it's not her fault mom died. Please, its mine, all my fault..."

"… I don't want to dad it feels bad not good…it h-hurt so much."

"I don't want to do it, I don't want to, don't make me do that please DADDY!"

August could do nothing as her voice passed through the deranged man's lips as he mimicked her living nightmares word per painstaking word. She was shaking, her eyes had constricted to mere pinpoints of jade as she stared at the man's cruel show of on fears. Envy grinned victoriously as he crouched down at eye level and whispered to the child. She was right there! She was ready to be thrown off the deep ends by her own memories, with his professional performance that is.

"So disgusting you and your broken little family were. Honestly, how does it feel for you now that your sister is dead, your mother has been dead from what I gather, and that shitty father of yours had his fun by-" Without warning a soft pressure on his mouth cut the homunculus off.

August clamped her shaking hands firmly over Envy's mouth as he gaped in shock at the unexpected move.

A beat later and the harsh sound of bone cracking and blood spattering echoed in the room. Envy pulled back his bloodied fist and observed his spur of the moment handiwork. He suddenly paled.

"Damn it! How the hell am I going to explain this one to Dante!" He mumbled to himself while the girl's hands still covered his mouth. He narrowed his eyes. Stubborn little shit!

Despite himself wanting to continue pounding the living daylights out of August, he gently lower the girl's hands from his mouth and had garbed the her chin, bring it closer for a inspection.

After the initial shock of the brat slamming her hands over his mouth, Envy had punched her face and had broken her nose at the very least. Blood had splattered everywhere. He growled angrily.

"Damn it you little brat, look what you did!" He hissed as quietly as he could. August said nothing as she stared blankly at him. She gently cupped her bleeding nose as it dripped blood through her fingers and onto her nightshirt. The little girl broke eye contact and looked down to the floor.

"Pathetic."

Envy growled again when she broke eye contact and grunted in disgust as he turned to leave yet again. He suddenly stiffened as he felt small fingers grab his skort, just above his Ouroboros tattoo. His fist bloodied fist curled on instinct as he turned slightly to glare at the brat from the corner of his narrowed eye.

She peered at him through her sweat soaked hair and held his hostile gaze. She muttered something unintelligible.

"If you want to be heard brat, then speak up!" He barked, sick of the weakness being displayed before him.

"Thank you…" August breathed as she sucked in a breath and closed her eyes, wary of another blow. "I needed to hear that. I needed someone to tell me the truth…no matter how much it hurts…" she mumbled the last part under her breath.

Silence greeted her ears for the longest moment before she waited for the inevitable grunt of disgust or punch to the stomach. Nothing happened as the black fabric beneath her fingers suddenly slipped away.

"Go to bed brat." Envy grunted as he tore his skort away from the slim fingers and swiftly walked to the door. "…and don't tell anyone about this either, or next time I'll break more than just your nose."

"But what's your name?" August slurred as she rubbed her eye tiredly and leaned against the bedpost. Envy rolled his eyes as he looked over at her tired frame.

"Still? Persistent brat. Fine, it's Envy." August blinked curiosity, never before hearing such a strange thing.

"Oh, well ok …goodnight then Envy" August yawned as she walked over to the bed and crawled into it. She wasn't worried about the bleeding, since the blood flow had stopped already. August curled into a ball and in a few minutes fell into a dreamless and painless sleep.

Envy had leaned against the doorframe as he watched this. He waited until the brat's breathing had evened out, a sure sign that she was asleep, and finally left, closing the door with uncharacteristic quietness.

"Damn that human brat." Envy scowled as he stalked down the pitch-black hallway. "What the hell is wrong with her? Acting all friendly and shit even after I broke her nose; and what was that about wanting to know my name so badly? Tch! She should be angry, upset, she should have started crying like a baby; after all, all humans are the same…so why hadn't she?" Envy hadn't even realized he had continued walking until he realized he was outside, underneath a full moon. He crossed his arms.

'Why am I so pissed? I don't care, so what the hell!' His expression blackened as he glared back at the mansion behind him, at a certain window in particularly.

"Dumb brat! Stupid human! I hate you!" He hissed out his annoyance to the cold, windless, night as he stalked away into the forest yet again.


Bonus Scene: Getting what's coming to you

Flashback:

'Even if that means keeping a constant visual on the brat.'

Envy felt a shiver crawl up his spine as his face twisted in an almost comical expression of repulsion mixed with horror. He just had a feeling he had sold his soul to the devil.

At the same time:

Somewhere in the beyond the pearly white gates a young soul was laughing hysterically. June wiped away a tear of mirth as she struggled to keep from doubling over in laughter again.

"Oh, you poor, poor, fool. You have NO idea what you're in for. June whispered before throwing back her head and cackling ruthlessly.

"Give him HELL my little August Rush. GIVE HIM HELL!

...

Somewhere in Dante's manor, wrapped in a nest of cozy blankets, August suddenly felt a cold chill pass her by. August twitched her nose and furrowed her eyebrows. The little girl smiled wickedly in her sleep and giggled mischievously as she rolled over and nestled further into the comforter.

...

Lust shivered as she suddenly felt a cold chill pass through her. The busty sin frowned as she glanced around. Next to her Gluttony gave a little whine as he shifted uncomfortably.

"Lust did you feel that?" The two sins stood still on the deserted street. They shivered at the sudden overwhelming feeling of impending doom hovering over them. Lust shivered once before closing her eyes before continuing down the sidewall.

"Lust-"

"Ignore it Gluttony...just ignore it."


Lol, I don't know why, but I got a crack out of that bonus section. I sincerely hope all of you lovely readers have enjoyed this chapter. Message me if you have any questions or, if you it suits you fancy, please review. Thank you for those that have offered your continued support. Please, keep on reading. :)